The Light is Gracious
by Abyssal Lore 14
Summary: Around a year after the Third War ended, the aged former paladin Janielle receives a letter from her assumed dead daughter which sends her on a mission across Azeroth. A few years later, Janielle finds herself stranded on the Azuremyst Isles with Admiral Odesyus and his crew and soon find themselves face to face with the draenei who crashed on these isles not too long ago.


**Author's Note:** Hello. It's AL14 and here is a new story. This will be the first chapter fanfiction I have written down, so all I asked for is constructive criticism in the comments if you have any. This will also be the second fanfiction story I've posted as the first thing I posted was Oblivion which was a poem I wrote for the Halo universe. Anyway, I present the prologue of my new story "The Light is Gracious."

Prologue

 _Dearest mother,_

 _I imagine that upon getting this letter, you and my husband, Michael, will be shocked as I was supposedly killed during the Scourge's attack on our home village of Widow's Haven. I have become aware of this only because I had briefly assumed the same until recently. I pray this letter does not upset the balance of our family upon the discovery of my survival, but I can only assume that it will cause some disruption to your daily lives._

 _The reason I write to you now is because of what I have done for the sake of a possibility and for my beliefs and hopes for a group of people who have been wronged. Likely, you will hear about this soon enough but I will divulge the situation for your sake and the sake of the rest of my family. I have betrayed Grand Marshal Garithos for his falsities against the sin'dorei when they sought the aid of the naga when he stacked the odds against them. I do this because I have lost faith in him and his retaking of Lordaeron do to his childish foolishness and his narrowminded prejudices towards the other races. I also believe that my destiny is to follow the sin'dorei to their fate, wherever that may be._

 _I am also sorry for the supposed treason I am to commit in aiding the sin'dorei and their naga allies. I know this will wreak havoc on our family in many ways even though it was not my intention to do so. I apologize for everything that will happen because of my decision to do this. This treason is necessary, however, for it will eventually determine not just my fate and the fates of the sin'dorei and their allies, but the fate of entire worlds. I just hope you understand._

 _Mother, I have but one request of you. Please, reclaim your title as paladin and dance in the sunlight once more. It will set you on the path to find me on a broken world. You must find a shepherd of Light and aid his people. He will hold the truth of my fate. I know you will not understand now, but you have always figured things out in the end. I know you will find me in the end._

 _I love you._

 _From, your daughter, Glorix Sonnentanz_

Michael read the letter several times over as his mother-in-law, Janielle, continued to put on her armor. He knew that this letter was indeed from his long-lost wife, Glorix, as he knew her elegant if somewhat small handwriting quite well. He knew that there was no way that this was a fake as all the t's had slightly too short of cross lines and the lower-cased I's dots were slightly too large. Michael knew this was something she would write to him or Janielle because of the last paragraph's request.

The sheathing of a sword drew Michael's attention back to his mother-in-law. She was fastening the sheath of the aged blade of the Sonnentanz family to her thick armor-plated belt. It was a beautiful weapon with a blue and gold hilt and a white steel blade that had faint golden lines streaking through it. It seemed to be empowered by the Light and as far as he knew it had never been broken. Janielle was currently the head of the Sonnentanz family and the blade was always carried by the head of the family regardless of gender. Michael would never earn this right as he was only married into the Sonnentanz family, thus he would never carry the blade. He never wanted to as it was as he had never learned how to fight, but he still often admired it and its craftmanship.

Michael then started to observe Janielle in general as she pulled on her gauntlets. Her blue, gold, and silver armor made her look and feel immensely powerful despite her old age. Michael had often seen Janielle train in this armor even after she retired from the Order of the Silver Hand to keep her body and mind in top shape. Her silvery hair had been freshly cut earlier that day from the near waist length to only above her chin after she had read the letter and started packing for the journey ahead. He also noted that she wore both her and her dead husband's wedding bands around her neck as she turned towards him, tucking them under her chest armor as she did so.

Michael gazed at the elderly former lady paladin, noting the look of determination and hope of her aged face. He knew he would never convince her to stay, even if he wanted her to. He shared in her hopefulness to find Glorix. He wanted to see her again, despite the betrayal she had committed to the Alliance. He wished he could go with Janielle, but he knew he could not. The small five-year-old girl sleeping in the bed next to far wall was the very reason.

Finally, Michael found his voice after a moment and softly said, "I pray you find her, Jan. For all our sakes."

Janielle gave a small, sad smile. She spoke in an elderly, soft voice. "I pray I do as well. I may not be able to bring her into Alliance territory, but knowing that she is alive and safe would be more than enough for all of us. Especially Evangeline."

Janielle then turned and quietly walked over the bed where his daughter and Janielle's granddaughter, Evangeline, slept. Michael watched as his mother-in-law tucked the small child under the soft blankets and placed a small kiss on the girl's forehead. The girl stirred briefly, grumbling sleepy and shifting away from her grandmother before becoming still once more.

Without another word, Michael watched Janielle stand straight up and walk over to the traveling pack that she had prepared for her next to the ornate dresser in her room. This reminded him that she had yet to pack some food for the journey from Lakeshire to Stormwind City. Remembering that it took about two to three days just to travel from Stormwind to get to Lakeshire, Michael ran down stairs to the kitchen make her a food pack for the journey.

Searching through the cupboards and pantry, he quickly discovered some jerky and a few slices of bread. He quickly wrapped them in separate pieces of cloth before placing them in a small bag. He reached for the canteen that Janielle's late husband had kept for his own journeys and went to the water barrel to fill it. Upon filling it and capping, Michael turned and jumped about an inch or so off the ground when he noticed Janielle was already in the kitchen adding a couple of shiny apples to the food bag.

Michael walked over and handed Janielle the water canteen. Janielle placed it in the food bag along with the food. She then tied the food bag securely to a leather strap on her traveling pack. Hefting the traveling pack over her shoulder, she swiftly heading for the door leading outside with Michael following swiftly after her. They headed for the small stable at the side of their two story house. The stable housed Clover, a young, calm draft horse with brown and white fur, and Gabriel, an old but strong grey warhorse that Janielle had had for several years. Michael knew which one would be joining her for the journey.

Soon, Gabriel was cleaned and saddled as Janielle and Michael worked together. Gabriel seemed to understand what was happening and did not move for the entire time, only nickering when Michael pulled a strap too tightly. Michael was thankful for Gabriel's thorough training and suspected if it had not been for said training, he would have suffered the old horse's wrath. He patted the horse gently before stepping away to allow Janielle to lead the old creature outside.

Once outside, Janielle climbed up on to Gabriel and settled into the saddle. She looked around at Lakeshire in the fading daylight, seeming to take it in for one last time before letting out a soft sigh. Michael wondered if she was going to miss it.

"Michael," Janielle said quietly, causing Michael to jump a little but he quickly calmed as she continued, "take care of Evangeline and make sure you both are happy and safe. Make sure you both remain together and strong, because I cannot promise that I will make it back."

"Don't worry, Janielle. I promise you that Evangeline will be taken care of and that we will do our best to remain happy, safe, and strong in your absence," Michael said with a sincere but kind tone.

Janielle smiled gently at him and he returned it in kind. There was a brief pause before Michael spoke again, handing her the letter as he did.

"Take this as a reminder of why you set out on this quest. Again, I pray you do find Glorix and bring her home. Good luck and good bye."

Janielle took the letter and folded it, placing it in her pack as she reassuringly said, "I will find her and bring her home. Take care of yourselves and see you later."

Janielle then gently spurred her old horse into a slow gallop, quickly passing through Lakeshire and out of Michael's sight. As the sound of Gabriel's powerful hooves faded into the night, Michael felt a tug on his shirt. Glancing down, he saw Evangeline staring up at him with a questioning look.

"Yes, Angel?" Michael asked softly.

"Grandma will find mama and get her home, right?" Evangeline asked, her big blue eyes begging for an answer.

Michael smiled gently at her, picking her up into his arms and turning towards their home. "Angel, if there is one thing your grandma is the best at, it's keeping her promises. I can only remember her breaking a promise she made once in all the time I knew her. I doubt she will break this promise even if it takes her the rest of her life to fulfill it."


End file.
